North's Payton Prince (85) stretches for the goal line as he scores on a reception past Jhames West (5) (CQ PROGRAM JHAMES) as the Norman North Timberwolves play the Westmoore Jaguars in high school football on Friday, September 16, 2011, in Norman, Okla. Photo by Steve Sisney, The Oklahoman ORG XMIT: KOD

The biggest surprise, Langford said, is the way West has handled the passing game.

“That's what's exciting to me,” Langford said. “It should be really tough on defenses not to give up something somewhere. He's going to be able to throw well enough to keep defenses honest.”

With eight starters back on the offensive side and seven back on defense, Westmoore is expecting big things, even in a season where it moves into a district with East-side powers Jenks and Broken Arrow.

“We can be as good as we want to be,” West said. “The talent and skill is there to do it. We're in there with some tough teams but we're going into it to beat them, not just play with them.”

For West, this season is also about redemption after he was hurt early in Westmoore's Week 7 loss to Edmond North and missed the rest of the season, including a playoff loss to Midwest City.

“It was frustrating at the end,” West said. “Most of my best friends were in that senior class last year and it was painful for me not to be out there with them and not be able to do anything to help our team win.”

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by Ryan Aber

OU Athletics Reporter

Ryan Aber has worked for The Oklahoman since 2006, covering high schools, the Oklahoma City RedHawks, the Oklahoma City Barons and OU football recruiting. An Oklahoma City native, Aber graduated from Northeastern State. Before joining The...